Boxing Day
by robspace54
Summary: Can't miss a holiday. Post Series 7. No spoilers.


**Boxing Day**

by robspace54

 **Time is relative but relatives can adjust time for us.**

"Bloody horrible, weren't it?" Penhale grunted in my ear after I shut the door of the Police Bedford. "These tourists, rent an all-wheel-drive and think they can go anywhere, do anything…"

I turned my head and glared at him. "Joe, just… take me home," I told him.

"Right." He put the truck into drive and negotiated us out of the muddy field. Emergency services had pried the doors off the damaged vehicle at the foot of the steep hill, and the helicopter had taken away the people.

I rested my weary and wet head back against the headrest, grateful to be able to sit down and in the slight warmth from the heater vents get some life back into my chilled limbs.

When we reached the road, Joe nodded to my Lexus which was mired deeply in muck up to the floorboards. "Shame that. All bright and shiny. I'll get Norwin out here later with his tow-away." He stopped to snap his fingers. "No, can't. Boxing Day. He's off work. Garage is closed along with everything else."

I groaned in reply.

Joe pointed to the cloudy plastic lens on the dashboard. "Looks like we both missed Christmas." He yawned. "Been out here, what? Seven hours?"

The clock read past one AM so yes it was over seven hours since Joe had got the call about the rollover on Bodmin Moor. He'd called me and I'd joined him at the scene. We needed the help of Cornwall Fire and Rescue with their heavy equipment to free the pair of idiots from the wreckage and I had to dig into the gore of a torn femoral artery on the driver. My stomach roiled just at the thought of it. The man would live but recovery would be long.

"Fools," I grunted.

"Just having a bit of holiday fun is all, Dr. Ellingham. I reckon your Christmas dinner is a bit cold." Joe grinned at me. "Mine as well." He was just as muddy and wet as I but he was cheerful. _Action_ , he kept saying, _action_ , like it was something to be desired.

"Well fun or not, those two," I pointed at the lights of the Air Ambulance fading into the misty dark sky, "are damn lucky they lived. Carrening off a bloody cliff."

Penhale clapped me on the shoulder. "I got the call, you responded, and met me out here, we found 'em – dynamic duo, right? _We_ pulled 'em out of it."

I moaned, "Joe, can I rest?"

"Right, but I bet you'll be glad to get home to the missus and little James Henry."

I wrapped my muddy Macintosh tighter about me.

We'd just sat down to dinner with Ruth, Bert, Al, and Morwenna when my mobile had rung. Louisa frowned mightily when I answered.

There was no doubt that I would go for I always had a duty of care. Louisa had quite a pained expression when I dropped everything to get my bag. However, she walked me to the door and hugged me. "Be careful, Martin."

I could see how upset she was. Our small Christmas tree in the corner was ablaze with tiny white lights, gifts were stacked on the table next to it and the roast was ready to be carved.

I kissed her cheek. "I'll be quick as I can," I said. "Sorry about the…"

She shrugged. " _You're_ our GP. I _do_ get it, Martin. Only… this is our first real Christmas. Why now?"

Louisa had remarked on that well before the holiday. First Christmas, she had told me, like a magic talisman. Our rapprochement in the summer had cemented things between us so I could understand that she wanted this one to be distinctive. "Be back quick as I can."

She glanced back at the kitchen where the table was laden, Al and Morwenna were mooning at one another across it, my Aunt Ruth was sipping her second glass of red wine while smiling her crooked smile and Bert was stuffing his face with canapes. James was eating by putting pear bits into his mouth while dribbling half of it onto the floor from his chair. She gave a little sigh seeing our almost celebration.

I touched Louisa's cheek. "This ruins Christmas, for you… us." She'd so wanted it to be special.

She took my hand and kissed it. "We'll sort it."

I kept that phrase in my head during the long search, the dreadful actions to stabilize the injured and then when the bent driver's door was pulled open torn metal had ripped the driver's leg. Suddenly blood was everywhere, spraying in rapid founts. It was emergency trauma surgery, compounded by bad lighting, inadequate tools, freezing rain and cold, and a rising gorge in my throat.

The man had not bled out only because I had jammed my index finger into the wound as a makeshift plug before I could put emergency stiches in. Horrid mess.

Joe quit talking leaving me to fall into some semblance of a doze.

"Doc?"

"Hmm?"

"We're home, I mean… at your house," I head Joe say.

I opened my eyes and the house was all dark but for the front light. I fumbled the door open in my fatigue.

"G'night Doc. Happy Christmas," Joe said as I levered my tired body out of his vehicle.

I looked at our slightly-bonkers constable. He was happy for a job well done and I suppose I was as well. I extended my hand and we shook. "Happy… uhm, Christmas Joe."

"You too, Doctor. Fine work tonight."

I quietly closed the door, made my way around the back of the house and got inside. I dumped my ruined shoes in the pantry, stripped down to my boxers and vest, leaving my bloody and muddy suit and coat there, and then padded across cold slate to the stairs.

Louisa heard me walking into our bedroom and she flipped on the light. She started when she saw me in my underthings

"Well Merry Christmas," she said slowly.

"I… sorry. Suit is ruined. Left it downstairs. Car crash; rollover, two injured. Air ambulance."

She nodded. "I see."

"I'll wash."

She smiled. "Good idea."

I took a brief shower, dried off, put on PJ's and slid into bed. Louisa nestled against me and I relished her warmth.

"Bad one then?" she asked into my ear.

"Right. Sorry." I put my arm around her.

"Oh well. Merry Christmas," she said softly.

"Merry Christmas, Louisa." I felt her kiss my mouth and then I was asleep; like that.

Much later I awoke from a long sleep to hear my wife singing from downstairs. I rose, shocked to see it was past noon, put on robe and slippers and padded downstairs. James was playing on a mat in the front room, pushing a truck around. I knelt down to kiss his head.

Louisa came from the pantry all dressed as if for a dinner party. "Oh, you're up! Morning, or maybe afternoon?"

"Uhm, yes, sorry, I…" I smelled something roasting in the oven. "You're cooking?"

"Well, yes, I am." She looked at her watch. "You'd better shave and shower, though. Our guests will be here in forty-five minutes."

"I thought we would be alone today? Hadn't you spoken about the three of us just having a rest?"

She smiled, crossing the room and putting her arms around me. "Martin, I know, but you missed Christmas dinner." She kissed me on the lips. "So… well, Ruth and I thought we ought to… reset things?"

I looked around the room and saw that none of the presents by the Christmas tree had been disturbed; not a one unwrapped. "What?"

"A do over," she said into my neck as she patted my bum. "Now go shave unless you want people to think you're going caveman, dear doctor."

"A do over? You've cooked another dinner? _Entire_?"

"Start to finish." She smiled. "Our first _real_ Christmas, Martin. You, me, James, Ruth, and our friends. Come hell or high water, you'll not miss this one. I defy the forces of nature and laws of physics."

I shook my head in surprise. Oh Fates beware the _will_ of Louisa Glasson Ellingham. "Right." Time can be adjusted, if not reversed, if our families wished it. I turned to go upstairs to prepare myself for the feast but shook my head in wonderment.

"Yes?" Louisa asked.

"I love you."

She nodded. "I know and I love you too."

000

We were ready to eat our Christmas dinner, phase 2, when the doorbell rang. Groaning I went to answer it with Louisa on my heels.

The open door showed Penhale and our child minder standing there holding a shopping bag. "Doc, sorry we're late," Penhale said. "Louisa had called my mobile and left a message that we should come to dinner." The man blushed. "We, uhm, just found it a few minutes ago."

I saw him take her hand and they smiled at one another. "Oh God." I knew what a smile like that meant.

Louisa stepped into the gap. "Joe, and Janice, so good you could... come."

The girl giggled.

Louisa looked at me. "Just thought Joe and you were both out so late..."

I sIghed. "Right. I'lll get the spare chairs."

THE END

 **Now they have a really full house! Merry Christmas! :)**


End file.
